What about coalitions?

Here we are three days into an election campaign that nobody wants, and one that nobody will admit to causing.  All parties are jumping on the idea of "coalition" as if it's a dirty word.  Ignatieff is saying point-blank he isn't going to enter into one, and Harper is saying he's lying.  Adding to the mix is the Bloc Québecois's Gilles Duceppe saying more or less that Harper's a hypocrite who would've entered into one with him, and Layton in 2004 to bring Martin down... and he has the letter to prove it.

I wonder though, what is so bad about a coalition? It seems to be a perfectly valid way of governing.  Israel governs itself as a coalition.  The United Kingdom- -the mother of all Parliamentary democracies is being governed right now by a coalition.  In the United States, the Democratic President has to get along with Republican House to pass his agenda. everywhere governments have to get along with each other, so why not here?

This coalition idea has worked in the past.  MacDonald had to work with Cartier.  Pearson had to work with Diefenbaker, and Trudeau had to work with people to get his agenda passed too.  Cooperation in this form is a proud Canadian tradition.  In a way a coalition makes sense, is closer to what most Canadians believe- Liberal social beliefs with a Conservative way (smaller steps toward a larger vision) of getting there.

Whatever happens, the word is out there.  Canadians are discussing the concept, and no accusations and arguments among the leaders is going take it out of the discussion.  I think quite the opposite- if Harper and Ignatieff keep arguing about it, it could send voters running for a third or fourth choice.  Let's change the channel and talk about something else.